Canadian Rendezvous
by cjgwilliams
Summary: Will a vacation in a quiet Canadian cabin change the nature of Tris and Tobias' casual relationship? Set immediately after A Fashionable Rendezvous.
1. Chapter 1

Hi everyone! Sorry it has been so long but real life has a way of sucking all your time. But I have not forgotten our favorite dynamic duo! Thanks, as always, to my amazing beta, Eunice, who somehow finds the time to do this for me.

xXx

The closer the car got to Tobias' cabin, the more nervous Tris became about her impulsive decision to accept his offer to join him for the week. It hadn't seemed like a big deal, but now that she was here, the doubts were beginning to set in. What in the world had she been thinking? Canada was an awfully long way to travel just for sex.

Okay…great sex. Incredible sex. Stupendous sex.

All with a man who turned out to be so much more than she'd thought. As her fingernails drummed lightly on the hired car's windowsill, Tris thought of Tobias. Starting this…thing…with him wasn't something she'd anticipated. At first, it was just a one-night stand. Then it was a couple of days followed by a ridiculously hot encounter in a bathroom. And now here she was, heading off for an entire week with him. Tris had never spent an entire week alone with a lover before. This was all new territory for her. She wasn't anti-commitment—at least she didn't think so. Most of the men of her acquaintance were ones she didn't want to waste her time on, let alone have sex with.

But Tobias was different, so different. Maybe that was why she was here. He intrigued her. She shifted a little in the seat as she took a deep breath. She was making way too much of all this. She and Tobias enjoyed each other's company, had amazing sex, and that was that. Most likely after this week, they'd burn out this crazy attraction for each other and they'd go their separate ways. There was no need to panic, no need to read anything more into it. Tris was tempted to laugh at her own overreaction. This week would surely get him out of her system.

Realizing how close they were to Tobias' cabin now, Tris dug into her purse to pull out her cell phone. She tapped the shortcut for his number and waited for him to pick up. As the phone rang, her nerves returned, this time over whether her decision to take the earlier flight out might not have worked in her favor. He wasn't expecting her for a few more hours and was supposed to pick her up from the airport himself. When he answered on the fourth ring, Tris let out a relieved breath.

"Hey! You in the car?" Tobias' voice was a little breathless.

"Yeah," she said, a slight smile on her face at the not-quite lie, aware that he thought she was in the car on the way to the airport. "You sound like you were running."

He chuckled. "I was in the shower. I'd just gotten out when I heard the phone."

Naked Tobias…Tris grinned at the mental image; an image she'd replayed in her mind quite often in the last few months. "So, does that mean you don't have any clothes on?" she teased, her voice husky and smile widening as the car began to slow down in front of a cozy one-story cabin with a huge bay window and attached two-car garage.

"That's exactly what it means," he said, his voice having dropped an octave. At her chuckle, he responded, "Like that, do you?"

"You have no idea," she said as the car pulled into the driveway, "but you should throw some pants on." She nodded to the driver who got out of the car at the same time she did.

"Why's that?"

She took the handle of her roll-on suitcase and smiled at the driver again. The man smiled back, touched his fingers to his forehead in salute and got into the car to drive away. Tris walked up to the door and rang the doorbell. "Because someone's at the door."

"What? Wait, how…shit. You're here?" His voice was tinged with excitement and moments later; Tobias swung open the door, dressed only in a pair of sweatpants.

Smiling widely, Tris hung up the phone, stuffing it in the pocket of her wool coat. "Yup, I'm here."

Tobias reached down and pulled her suitcase into the house as Tris stepped over the threshold. She pulled off her coat and draped it over a chair, but before she could take in the view of the room, Tobias wrapped an arm around her waist. Tris grinned as he pulled her into his body, his lips descending on hers.

xXx

Tris nuzzled her nose into the hollow of Tobias' neck, letting out a contented murmur as Tobias' fingers traced her spine. With her muscles lax and her body sated by his, Tris had a hard time remembering why she'd been second-guessing her trip. At the moment, there was no place else Tris wanted to be. The quiet of their lazy dozing was interrupted by a loud growl from Tris' stomach.

Tobias chuckled. "Hungry?"

Lifting her head, she grinned at him, pushing her hair out of her eyes. "Well, we did just burn a lot of calories."

"We sure did," he leaned forward and brushed his lips across hers. "I'd planned on us having dinner in Toronto since I couldn't get grocery delivery before tomorrow. We could run into town and pick up something, if you want. There's a ton of good restaurants."

"Hmm…I read online there was a French restaurant in town that serves pommes aligot." The ridiculously indulgent whipped potato and cheese dish was one of Tris' favorite comfort foods and she smiled at the very thought.

He grinned at her. "Oh, yes. They serve it with red wine braised short ribs."

"Oh, sold." Tris sat up and stretched, the sheet falling around her waist. Tobias' eyes drifted down to her breasts and when she cleared her throat playfully, he looked up at her with an unrepentant grin. She rolled her eyes. "Okay, lover boy, let's get up and get dressed. Otherwise, I may never get fed."

Tobias laughed. "Yes, ma'am."

xXx

The sun glittered off the fresh snow, sparkling like glitter in the early afternoon sun. Tris watched through the window as Tobias shoveled snow off the walkway to the cabin. He just kept surprising her. Tobias was a multimillionaire, had been born one, and there he was shoveling snow just like a regular guy. When she'd expressed surprise that he was going out to clear the walkway, he'd just laughed at her and said that was part of the fun of owning a ski cabin.

Tris took a moment to regret that Tobias had to wear so many layers of clothes in order to be outside. She could just imagine the muscles in his strong arms and back bunching and flexing as he lifted the shovel and threw the snow to the side. Chuckling at herself, Tris noticed he was nearly finished. On impulse, she slid on her own boots and coat, pulling one of his caps over her ears, as she opened the door. Shoving her hands in her pocket, she pulled out her gloves as he looked up at her and smiled.

"Hey, what're you doing out here?" he asked, slightly out of breath from exertion.

"Just thought I'd see if I could give you a hand," she returned, smiling a little as she leaned against the side of the garage to don her gloves.

Looking at the clean walkway, Tobias laughed. "You know, that's a generous offer but I think I've got it covered."

Tris nodded and stepped off the walkway and into the snow. "I love snow," she declared.

Tobias leaned against the shovel handle and regarded her with amusement. "You should. I'm sure you see enough of it in Chicago."

"I do indeed. I used to love going outside as a kid, making snowmen. Whenever it snowed, Anthony would make sure we had carrots, rocks, and a scarf at the ready for me and Caleb to put on a snowman. We got really creative when we were almost teenagers and made our family out of snow once." Tris smiled at the recollection. "We stole clothes from Mom and Dad to put on them. Then, we made them come outside and take a picture with everybody posing next to their snow doppelganger."

"Hey, didn't you guys put that on a Christmas card one year?" Tobias laughed as he remembered. Tris' grandfather had kept one on his desk and Tobias remembered seeing it. He'd snorted at it, all teenage derision, but secretly he'd been envious of the obvious closeness of the Prior family.

"Yeah, but only to family. We had regular, dignified ones that went out to everyone else but when we were kids, we'd do those silly ones for our grandparents."

Looking around at the pristine snow next to the walkway, Tris was seized by a sudden impulse. Turning around, she let herself fall back onto the snow, giggling at Tobias' surprised shout. She lay in the snow for a moment before she began to open and close her arms and legs.

"What the hell are you doing?" Tobias came to stand over her, perplexed amusement lining his face.

"Didn't you make snow angels as a kid? You spent a few winters in Chicago, so you must have."

"We lived in a penthouse on Michigan Avenue, remember? No yards." Truthfully, Marcus and Evelyn would never have allowed it in any event. Tobias could imagine the looks of horror on their faces if they'd caught him doing something they'd considered to be undignified.

Tris sat up in her angel, careful not to mess up the arms and looked up at him with mock pity. "You poor, deprived child! You have to do it now."

"Do what?"

"Make a snow angel. Come on, fall down."

Tobias frowned. "Has the snow frozen your brain cells?"

She rolled her eyes. "Don't be a stick in the snow," she chided.

"I'm not. Snow is cold."

"Aw, come on," her voice turned cajoling. "You know you want to."

"Yeah, no."

"I promise I'll warm you up after," she teased, her voice dropping a seductive octave. "It'll be fun. You'll see."

Tobias smiled at the joy in her face, the laughter dancing in her eyes was turning them more blue than gray, and felt himself weakening. "What do I do?"

"Just fall back."

Moving just a few feet away from her, Tobias allowed himself to fall backwards onto a patch of undisturbed snow. Tris giggled at the grimace that passed over his face from the cold, wet snow. "Okay, now move your arms and legs up and down. Yeah, like that." She applauded a little as she carefully stood up and moved to the walkway in front of him. "Now, sit up really carefully so you don't disturb the snow. Okay, good. Now, stand up and try to get to the walkway without messing it up."

Tobias carefully stood, taking a big step and managing to get out of the snow, only disturbing a small part of the feet.

"There!" Tris exclaimed proudly, winding her arm through his. "See? Perfect. Your first snow angel." Tobias looked down at the two indentures in the snow and chuckled. He felt young, free even, and when he looked at Tris, a wave of affection rushed through him. Turning, he cupped her face in his snow-crusted gloves and kissed her deeply. Tris moved into him, getting as close as she could in all their bulky clothes. Kissing Tobias felt like holding a live wire, sending electric sparks through her. When he raised his head, he grinned at her.

"Didn't you say something about warming me up?" he asked, his voice low with arousal.

"Yeah. Come into my lair, said the spider to the fly," she quipped, grabbing his hand. Tobias chuckled a little and pressed his lips to her forehead.

"I need to salt the walkway and put the supplies away. Join you in a minute?"

"Sure." Tris brushed her lips against his and walked back into the house as Tobias headed into the garage. Tris made a beeline for the bedroom, quickly changing out of her wet clothes and into a comfortable pair of cotton pants and a sweatshirt. She'd just finished braiding her hair when her stomach gave a loud growl. Deciding that lunch before sex was probably a good idea, she padded into the kitchen, opened the pantry and stared. They needed something warm and comforting, she decided, reaching for a box of roasted red pepper and tomato soup. She grabbed a loaf of bread, having settled on soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. Quick, easy, comforting and most importantly, within her culinary abilities. She'd just poured the soup into a small pan when she heard the door to the garage open and Tobias stomp the snow from his boots. Minutes later he entered the room and stopped short when he saw her in the kitchen.

"You're not naked," he complained teasingly.

Tris laughed. "I decided I wanted food first." At his mock sigh, Tris shook her head. "Why don't you take a shower? The soup and sandwiches should be done by then."

"Sandwiches?"

"Mm-hmm, grilled cheese." Tobias' eyes lit up and Tris laughed. "Go, get washed up."

He didn't linger in the shower, the scent of the sandwiches tantalizing him with images of warm, crusty bread and stretchy cheese. As he was pulling on a sweatshirt, he heard a frustrated, "Shit!" With raised eyebrows, he finished dressing and walked into the kitchen. Tris stood, staring at a charred grilled cheese sandwich with active annoyance. Biting his lip to keep from grinning he asked, "Everything okay?"

Tris looked up, her face scrunched in annoyance. "I keep burning them!"

Tobias looked over and saw two sandwiches piled on a plate, both charred and smoking. Coming around the counter, he noticed that she had the flame on high. "Um, maybe we should turn the stove down." At her scowl, he broke into a wide grin. "Why don't you open a bottle of wine? It can breathe while we finish up."

Sighing, Tris turned to the pantry and considered their options. Choosing a fruity Cabernet sauvignon that would complement the cheddar and tomatoes, Tris opened the wine swiftly and turned to watch Tobias flip over the first grilled cheese sandwich. She wrinkled her nose, both amused and annoyed that his sandwich was golden brown and perfect. Looking over at her burnt offerings, she snatched up the plate and dropped them into the trash. Tobias grinned at her. "They weren't that bad," he said.

Tris gave a snort and reached up for a couple of wineglasses. "Burnt is for hot dogs and marshmallows," she declared. Tobias turned to give her a half grin just as she was stretching up, allowing him to catch an eyeful of her bottom. Shaking his head, he returned his attention back to the grilled cheese sandwich lest he burn it like she did.

While Tobias finished up the sandwiches, Tris turned on the gas fireplace, tossing one of the throw blankets on the floor and moving the coffee table out of the way. When she went back into the kitchen to retrieve the wine and their glasses, she noticed he'd finished up. "I thought we could have a picnic by the fire," she said.

Tobias grinned and after ladling the soup into two bowls, turned to expertly slice the three sandwiches diagonally and arrange them onto a plate. "Sounds good to me. Why don't you help me bring everything over to the living room?" They set the food and wine on the coffee table and settled themselves down onto the floor, eating in silence for a moment before Tris abruptly stopped and set down her sandwich.

"Okay, I just have to ask. Where on earth did you learn to cook?"

"Grilled cheese is hardly cooking, Tris," he teased.

Tris rolled her eyes as she spooned soup into her mouth. "You know what I mean. You looked pretty comfortable there in the kitchen."

Tobias laughed. "It's not rocket science, Tris, but basically I _had _to learn," he confessed. When Tris still looked confused, he continued on. "When I first went out on my own, I refused to have any live-in help. I wanted to do it all on my own. Totally drove my parents nuts. So, you could say I learned to cook to spite my parents. Eventually, I caved when Helping Hands really got going, and now I have a crew come in once a week to clean and a wonderful woman does the cooking."

Finishing half of her sandwich, Tris tilted her head slightly as she looked at him. "Why did it bother your parents that you wanted to do things on your own?"

Reaching over to top off their glasses, Tobias gave it a moment before he responded. "My parents believe that since we can afford to hire people, we should just hire people. Doing things for yourself is what you do when you don't have money."

Tris took a drink of her wine. "I don't get it. Your parents are very generous—they donate regularly to numerous charities—but it sounds like you're saying they think they're better than others."

Taking a drink of his own, Tobias thought about it for another moment. "They do think they're better, but they aren't total assholes about it." At Tris' laugh, he continued. "Seriously, they are snobs, but they also understand that if you are too arrogant about it, eventually, regular people will come after you with torches and pitchforks. They want to stay rich, but are really very well aware that they have to project a certain image—my dad especially. He has power—the ability to do whatever he wants, for the most part—yet the idea of losing it all horrifies him. He'll do whatever it takes, even pretending to be noble, in order to keep the status quo."

Tris ate a little more soup. "I guess I never really gave them that much thought." Pausing, she glanced at him then looked down. "I knew your family wasn't quite as close as mine," she said carefully, "but I guess it goes a little deeper than I thought. My parents really seem to enjoy working on their charities."

Tobias laughed. "My parents aren't monsters, but they are entitled and want to stay entitled." He shrugged and finished off his own grilled cheese. "Maybe that's why I've wanted to chart my own path. I don't want to live like that. I want to do more."

"Well, you have. Helping Hands is really growing from what I've heard."

"I love it," he confessed with a little laugh. "I didn't expect to. I've spent so many years trying not to be my dad that it's been weird to realize how much I enjoy the business side of the charity." Tobias chuckled a little. "On the up side, it confuses the hell out of my parents." He took a drink of his wine and shrugged. "I'm making them out to be so bad, aren't I?"

"A little," she agreed with a smile. "But it's okay, this is a safe place."

Impulsively, Tris pushed up on her knees and leaned over to kiss him. Tobias pulled her onto his lap, deepening the kiss and burying his hands in her hair. He sank into the kiss, losing himself in her. He realized he was becoming addicted to her taste, to her touch. Tris played with the curls at the nape of his neck and Tobias pulled her in closer, losing all sense of time as he held her. He didn't care about his parents, the charity, anything; right then, the only thing he wanted was to stay in Tris' arms.


	2. Chapter 2

_Hi all! Well, here we are with chapter 2! I was going to wait a few days but a dear friend needed smut so I said okay...The final chapter will be posted in a couple of days. The usual thanks to my amazing beta and a huge thanks to all who have enjoyed my stories. You guys keep me motivated to write!_

xXx

The fire crackled merrily in the stone fireplace next to the couch, the only lighting in the room other than the television across the room. The bowl of popcorn sat discarded on the coffee table, mugs of warmed, spiked apple cider empty beside it. Tobias lay stretched out on the oversized couch, Tris snuggled on top of him, her head on his chest while her legs entwined with his as they watched television. He idly played with the strands of her soft, blonde hair encased in a ponytail. The recorded laugh track from the comedy playing before them was occasionally echoed by Tris' giggles. Tobias couldn't remember the last time he felt so content. The entire week had been so perfect, Tobias hated thinking about when it had to end.

As the credits rolled and a new episode began, Tris turned her head to look at him, her chin resting on his chest. "You look relaxed," she commented.

Tobias gave her a soft smile and cupped the back of her head in his hand, urging her forward for a kiss. "I am," he murmured against her lips.

Running her tongue against his bottom lip teasingly, Tris pulled back breaking the kiss. "I have to admit, this was a great idea. It's so peaceful here. Is that why you bought it?"

"Yeah, I felt like I needed some place where I could just be alone if I wanted. My parents have been known to just drop by my place in New York," Tobias sighed, "and neither of the houses in Connecticut or London have ever really felt like home." He shrugged. "When my friend Paul needed some extra money to build this place, I jumped at investing. All we do is text each other to make sure the other isn't using it."

Tris idly traced figures on his chest with her finger. "I get that. I wish I had a place of my own like this. I love my parents, don't get me wrong, and the house in Chicago is more than large enough to feel isolated when I want it to, but some place where I could get away and just do my own thing without anyone looking for me would be great."

"What would you do?" he asked, his fingers tracing her spine. When she hesitated, he said gently, "Is that where you'd write?"

Tris stiffened. "What?" she asked, the tremor in her voice betraying the nerves she felt. She'd told very few people about her writing—even her family didn't know the extent of it. It was one of her deepest secrets.

"I know about Amanda Ritter." Tris' eyes snapped to his and he gave her a small, encouraging smile. "I saw a bunch of the Princeton literary magazines in Uriah's apartment a few years ago. I teased him about it, but he said he had them because he was representing a client who wrote for it in college and was trying to get some of her shorter stories published outside of their college magazine. So, I pestered him until he relented and let me read some of them and I was blown away. They were so good. I wanted to read more so he confirmed for me that she was still writing under the same pen name. I searched and found a couple of other short stories in some online magazines and read them. Then about three months ago, I put it all together. You and Uri went to Princeton together, you worked part-time in marketing writing copy for the company's website, and Amanda Ritter was your grandmother's name."

"How—"

He smiled a little. "Did you forget your grandparents' paintings are in the boardroom at Prior-Eaton's headquarters? There's a plaque that lists your grandmother's full name as Amanda Ritter Prior."

Tris shook her head. "Huh. Yeah, I didn't realize that." She'd seen that portrait a thousand times but had barely paid attention to it; it was her grandmother and grandfather painted about a year after their wedding when he'd officially taken the helm of what was then Prior International Travel Agency. Cocking her head to the side, she gave him an appraising look. "How did you remember that name?"

Flushing a little, Tobias shifted a little under her gaze. "She looks just like you," he mumbled. "My dad had me cooling my heels in the conference room right before Christmas, so when I looked at her picture and saw the name, it all clicked." A slight frown began forming between Tris' brows, so he hurried to say, "I loved what you wrote, by the way." He wasn't sure he was quite ready to admit thoughts of her and their secret night together before Thanksgiving had been haunting him at the time. Seeing the portrait, a woman who looked so much like Tris, had captivated him.

Biting her lip, she looked at him, uncertainty swimming in her eyes. "Really?"

"Yeah, really. There was that one in the online magazine about a woman who was some kind of undercover corporate spy for her shady aunt. It sounded like that could be expanded into a novel." Tris sat up and perched on the edge of the couch, her eyes wide. Concerned, Tobias sat up as well. "What? Did I say something wrong?"

"No. No, it's just…do you really think so?"

Surprised by the vulnerability he read in her eyes, he nodded enthusiastically. "Oh yeah, definitely. I could see it, the young woman changing disguises, matching wits with her aunt's new bodyguard. And what's his deal? Is he really more than he seems?"

Tris hesitated a second, then rose from the couch and disappeared into the master bedroom. Tobias sat there a moment, confused, wondering what he'd done wrong. He'd just decided to go after her when she returned, her tablet in hand. Sitting beside him on the couch, Tris swiped open the screen and handed it to him. He looked down at the tablet then back at her. "What's this?"

"Just…just read a little bit of it. Tell me what you think." Tris stood quickly, picking up the mugs and bowl of popcorn. Tobias looked down at the table then back at her as she hurried into the kitchen. Shrugging to himself, he began to read and discovered, to his delight, it was the very story he'd told Tris he liked, only there was more.

"Hey, you added more to it," he exclaimed. Glancing down at the corner of the screen, he saw that she'd written at least 200 pages. Excited, he leaned back and began to read.

Tris busied herself with throwing away the remainder of the popcorn, and to give him even more time, hand washed the mugs and bowl and cleaned up the remainder of the kitchen. Finally, she figured she'd procrastinated enough. So with a deep breath, she went back into the living room, tentatively sitting on the couch next to him.

Tobias put down the tablet and turned to look at her. Uncertainty was swimming in her large eyes and Tobias could see from the quivering of her chest, she'd begun to breathe a little more heavily. He smiled broadly to reassure her. "This is amazing!"

When she let out a throaty laugh, Tris realized she'd been holding her breath. "You really think so?"

"Absolutely! You've expanded that ten-page short story into something amazing and I want to read more. How much more are you planning on writing?"

Tris chewed on her lip. "It's about three-quarters done. I've got the rest outlined at the end." She took a deep breath and asked him what she'd never asked anyone before. "Will you read it all? Maybe give me your thoughts?"

A huge grin split his face and the elation in his expression sent Tris' heart soaring. "Hell, yeah."

Grabbing the tablet out of Tobias' hands, Tris put it on the coffee table then turned to him and took the front of his long-sleeved t-shirt in her hands. She pushed him onto his back, kissing him fiercely. Happy to oblige, he kissed her back, his hand immediately going to the soft cotton shirt she wore and slipping his hands underneath it to reach for her soft flesh. Tris maneuvered so that she was straddling him, and with a saucy grin, pulled her t-shirt over her head. Tobias made a strangled sound, making Tris smile even wider as she bent down to take his mouth again. She loved the way his strong hands trailed up and down her back, caressing her skin. On his third time down, he grabbed her bottom and gave a squeeze. In response, Tris began rolling her hips against his, trailing her lips along his neck. Groaning, Tobias grabbed her hips, holding her in place against him.

Tris suddenly sat up, pushing his shirt up. Tobias grabbed it as well, helping her push it over his head. Reaching for her again, he pulled her down to kiss her fiercely. They pulled and tugged at clothing until they were naked and Tris had regained her position on top of him. She stared down at him, loving the slight smile on his face. He hadn't shaved for the last couple of days and the beard he'd grown made him look rough and rugged and completely sexy. Holding his gaze with hers, she slowly lifted and lowered herself down onto him. Tobias let out a low groan, echoed by Tris' own high gasp. Bracing her hands on his chest, Tris raised and lowered herself, Tobias grasping her hips tightly. She moved slowly at first, torturing him with a leisurely pace. He lifted his own hips, pushing up into her, letting his fingers trail up her torso until he reached her breasts. Cupping them, he ran his thumbs around her nipples, grinning when she tightened around him. To his delight, Tris began moving faster until she was riding him with abandon, totally lost in passion. Tobias stared at her astride him, her golden hair swaying with the movement of her body, her icy-blue eyes closed, mouth slightly open. It was a sight Tobias wanted to see for the rest of his life.

For a moment, his heart seized at the direction of his thoughts. This was sex, great sex, but just sex. Right? He grasped Tris' hips again tightly, pushing up harder inside her, hoping he could quell the disturbing train of his thoughts by losing himself in the lushness of her body. Tris groaned, her inner muscles tightening around him and he kept moving, prolonging her pleasure, feeling her squeeze him tightly until he couldn't stand it anymore. Tobias grounded against her as he let himself go, his eyes closing as he blocked out everything but the enormous pleasure washing over him in waves. Tris collapsed against him, her head on his chest, listening to his wildly beating heart, its pace matching hers. After a moment, she lifted herself off of him, flopping down on her back next to him.

"If complimenting your writing results in that," he panted, "I'm going to do it every day for the rest of my life. Multiple times a day even."

Beside him, Tris giggled, and she jolted slightly at the sound. She rarely giggled like a schoolgirl, but somehow this man managed to bring it out of her. She rolled on her side and propped herself up on her elbow. "Thanks for that."

He chuckled. "The pleasure was mine."

Growing serious, Tris traced patterns on his chest. "Were you serious about the book? You really liked it?"

Tobias reached out and pulled her closer so that she was half-draped across his chest. Pushing her hair behind her ear, he gave her a sincere smile. "Hot sex aside," he joked. "Yes, I am completely serious. I think your characters are nuanced and realistic and the story is compelling. You've got a great touch for writing action."

"Really?" She shifted so she could rest higher on his chest. "Did you get to the scene with him and the smuggler?"

"Yeah, I started it. Did you ever think of making Thomas FBI rather than a rogue CIA agent? FBI would also go after a murdering CIA spy, but since Interpol is a police organization, it makes more sense. The FBI is law enforcement as well as an intelligence organization."

Tris frowned. "I didn't think the FBI could investigate overseas like that."

"Sure, they can. I can see Interpol and the Brits allowing your guy to infiltrate the organization since part of the smuggling is taking place in the US. I ran across a lot of different US government entities when I was in the Navy. We'd pass information when we came across it. The US and Britain have a good relationship."

She was quiet for a moment as she considered him. She'd always assumed he was just a sailor, but now she wondered. "Tobias, what did you do in the military?"

He grinned. "I was naval intelligence."

Tris stared at him for a moment, hardly believing her luck. "Could I pick your brain about the book? Maybe you can give me some pointers?" she asked hesitantly.

Tobias' face lit up. "I'd love to."

"Great!" Sitting up, Tris grabbed for her tablet. When she turned back to him, she bit her lip, a thought suddenly occurring to her. "You don't mind, do you? I know this is a vacation and all but—"

"But this sounds like fun," he interrupted. "I'd like to help, if I can."

A smile blossomed across her face. "Okay. Let's get started."

He laughed at her enthusiasm and reached up to pull the afghan off the couch and tucked it around them. "Okay, shoot."

xXx

Tobias awoke the next morning to an empty bed. He frowned, wondering where Tris could be. Between the two of them, he was usually the early riser. Rolling out of bed, he padded over to the dresser and pulled out a pair of pajama pants. After their first night, he'd decided to just go to bed naked; they ended up that way anyway. It occurred to him they were already three days into their vacation and only had another two to go. Absently, he rubbed his hand over his stomach, a queasy feeling roiling through him when he thought of separating from her.

He heard the clicking when he entered the hallway. Intrigued, he followed the sound until he found Tris sitting at the dining room table, her back to the window, typing away furiously on the mini wireless keyboard, her tablet set up like a computer screen. She was totally absorbed in her work; her hair bundled up on top of her head in a messy knot while dressed in the sleeveless undershirt and flannel pajama pants she'd been wearing before they went to bed. Seeing her sitting there totally absorbed, her legs hooked around the legs of the chair, he thought she looked adorable.

"Hey," he said quietly, hoping not to startle her.

She did jump a little and looked up, her eyes taking a moment to focus on him. "Hi," she returned, struggling to bring herself into the present. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. I had an idea and wanted to get it down. I'll be back to bed in a minute."

Amused, he leaned against the back of one of the dining room chairs. "It's 7AM, Tris."

"What?" She glanced at the clock on the cable box and was surprised to see he was right. Somehow, she'd lost four hours. When she sat back, she realized her neck and back were both stiff and a little sore. "Wow. I didn't realize."

"I can see that," his voice was still rich with amusement. Moving behind her, he put his hands on her shoulders and began to rub. Sitting on that chair had definitely knotted up her muscles.

"Oh," Tris moaned a little as Tobias' strong hands worked out the kinks. Her head dropped down as he gently kneaded her neck, working out the writing-induced tension. "God, that's good. You're the best."

Tobias laughed. "I think you said the same thing last night."

Tris laughed with him, her hands coming up to rest on top of his. "Yeah, I probably did." She pushed away from the table and turned to wrap herself in his arms. "You were pretty good to me last night," she teased.

"Pretty good?"

She laughed again. "You'd definitely be the _best _if you made coffee."

Tobias dropped his head and brushed his lips across hers. "Well, since you've spent the last few hours working, I guess I can accommodate."

Kissing him back, Tris murmured, "Once you get it started, maybe then you could continue the massage…in the shower with me."

Tobias deepened the teasing little kisses, taking them into the dark and sensual. "I'll meet you there in 30 seconds." They separated, Tris to the bathroom while Tobias hurried into the kitchen to start the coffee, making sure the coffeemaker would stay hot for at least an hour.


	3. Chapter 3

_Hi everyone! Here it is, the final chapter. I hope you've enjoyed this little glimpse into my version of VR's world. There's no naked Twister scene - sorry! I really tried to write it but as i visualized the logistics, I kept giggling. I'm so not mature. _

_As always, thanks to my amazing beta, who keeps me motivated and pushes for more smut haha!_

xXx

Tris frowned at the cards in her hand and glanced up at Tobias, considering the serious look on his face. A friendly argument about where to eat their final dinner—steak or Italian—resulted in Tris challenging him to a game of poker. So far, they were tied two for two, vying to win the best of five hands.

Tobias was good, she mused. His stoic poker face had fooled her, resulting in her two losses. She chewed her lip, considering. All she needed was an eight and a five and she'd have a straight. It was a good hand but there was still a lot he could have in his hand. Stiffening her spine, she pulled two cards and laid them face down on the table.

"I need two," she said.

He glanced up at her and dealt her two cards, taking only one for himself. Tris felt her stomach flip and she wondered exactly what was in his hand. It wasn't all that big of a deal—it was only dinner after all—and Tris realized her nerves had little to do with dinner and everything to do with this being their last night together. She shook her head a little, staring blankly at the two new cards, and slowly realized she'd pulled the two cards she needed. Clearing her throat, she threw two nickels into the pot. "Okay, there's ten."

Tobias met her gaze steadily. "I'll see your ten and raise you another ten." He threw two more nickels onto the pile.

Raising an eyebrow, "Somebody's feeling cocky," she teased. He merely smiled calmly, and Tris couldn't help but wonder one more time what was in his hand. "Okay, I can do that." She tossed two more nickels into the pot and lingered for a moment. "And I'll raise you five more," she said, throwing another nickel on the pot. She had a feeling Chicken Parmesan was just in her grasp.

"Call."

Tobias laid down his cards, two jacks, two tens and a queen. "Two of a kind," he said.

Tris pretended to let her face fall. "Oh," she said quietly, laying down a four, five, six, seven and eight. "My straight beats your two." She let her lips stretch into a wide grin. "Looks like it's Italian."

Tobias' eyes narrowed for a moment as he realized she'd successfully hustled him. "Something tells me you aren't the novice you claimed to be," he challenged.

Grinning, she shrugged. "Christina and I shared a house senior year with Callie Rehnquist. Her dad is an exec at Harrods."

Tobias shook his head. "Shark," he mumbled. Tris laughed and after a moment, he joined her. "Fine," he said, "Italian it is. Besides, the place I'm thinking of has an excellent steak Florentine."

"Wait a minute, if you could get a steak at the Italian restaurant, why didn't you just say so?" Tris demanded; her voice tinged with mock outrage.

"Where's the fun in that?"

Tris rolled her eyes at him as he laughed. "Just make the reservation, Mr. Comedian."

Still chuckling, Tobias pulled out his phone and opened his restaurant reservation app. "Okay, there's a table at 6:30 but not another one until 8:30." He glanced up at her. "Why don't we take the 6:30? That way we can get back early." Innuendo was heavy in his voice.

"That sounds like a good idea," Tris replied, the lust she read in Tobias' eyes making her feel warm from head to toe. She glanced at the clock and calculated. "How long will it take to get there?"

"About 30 minutes."

Nodding, Tris rose from the table. "I'll get in the shower. Alone," she emphasized, amused when she saw the gleam in his eyes. "If you get in with me, we'll never make it on time."

Tobias chuckled, "You have a point. I'll use the other bathroom."

Tris hurried into the bathroom, stopping only to grab her underclothes and pull her hair up into a bun as she moved. Stepping into the large walk-in shower, Tris appreciated how fast the water warmed. She had to admit, Tobias' architect friend, Paul, had really designed a wonderful little ski cottage. Two large bedrooms, each with their own luxurious bath, made it the perfect getaway for a small group. Pouring body wash into her shower pouf, Tris vaguely wished Tobias were in the shower with her; she'd come to crave his strong hands massaging the soap over her back. She paused when she realized she missed him with her. This trip was supposed to _end_ her craving, not deepen it. Rinsing herself off, she told herself sternly that her craving for Tobias would most likely end once she was back home in Chicago and had some distance.

Tris turned off the shower and wrapped herself in a fluffy towel. Looking at herself in the mirror, she chuckled a little. She was overreacting again. She and Tobias had fun together, that was all. They'd gotten into an unexpectedly comfortable routine and that was what she was feeling. She also had to admit to herself that she'd expected their sexual attraction to wane after spending a week together, but that clearly wasn't happening. Probably because Tobias had some kind of innate understanding of what he needed to do to make her feel amazing. He paid attention, she thought as she used her curling iron to create soft waves. She'd never had a lover who actually paid as much attention to her body as Tobias did; nor had she had one who seemed to enjoy bringing her pleasure. Her first lover, Robert, had been sweet and gentle, but they'd been teenagers, just figuring out what to do. Then there was the Peter disaster the summer after she'd finished high school in Europe. The sex had been decent, but Peter was so completely self-absorbed that ultimately, he hadn't really been that interested in what she felt. Things were better with Robert the second time around when they were at Princeton, but Tris had to admit that she'd gotten bored with Robert. There'd been a couple of other men since then, but never more than a couple of weeks at a time.

Then came Tobias.

Tris shook her head to clear it. She and Tobias were extremely sexually compatible and that was really the bottom line. They had great sex. That was all this was. Satisfied that she'd resolved the unfamiliar flutter around her heart; she finished applying her make-up and shimmied into the scraps of lace that she fully expected Tobias to love. They'd have a great dinner, spend the night making each other scream, then she'd catch her plane the next day and head back to her normal life in Chicago.

Feeling much better now that she'd given herself a stern talking-to, she strode into the bedroom to finish dressing. She'd only brought one dress and she slid into it, smoothing the material over her hips and tying the belt around her waist. The cranberry-colored, cashmere wrap dress ended at her knees and she pulled on the knee-high, black leather, heeled boots she'd brought along for it. Turning back and forth in front of the mirror, Tris approved her look. The dress hugged her in all the right places and she was sure it would have the desired effect on Tobias. She added her small, white gold hoops and decided she was done.

Tobias was already in the living room when she exited, and Tris stopped for a moment to admire him. The black sweater fit him like a glove, following the strong contours of his chest and shoulders while the charcoal gray slacks hugging his slim hips. His hair was getting just long enough for her to twist a curl around her finger, something she'd done more than once this trip. He looked up at her and those dark, nearly navy, blue eyes met hers and Tris felt her breath catch as she was struck by the soft look in them. No one had ever looked at her like that before.

"Wow," he murmured, "you look great."

She forced a smile. "You don't look so bad yourself."

He held out his hand, "Shall we go?"

"Yeah," she said, putting her hand in his. Tobias pulled her to the closet across from the garage door and helped her into her coat. Pulling his on, he opened the garage door and led her to the sleek, black Audi sports car he'd rented in Toronto. Tris raised an eyebrow. "We're not taking the SUV?" she asked, gesturing to the Land Rover.

"Nah, not necessary. It hasn't snowed for the last couple of days, so the roads will be clear enough."

Tris paused before getting into the passenger side while he held the door open. "And, let me guess, you want to zip down the mountain roads in this?" she asked, amused. He only shot her a knowing grin as she slid into the car.

The car did indeed purr as Tobias drove down the mountain road, just fast enough to hug the road, but not enough to be terrifying. Tris watched him with undisguised amusement as he drove. "Enjoying yourself?" she asked.

"Oh, yeah. I never get to drive in New York or London. I love being able to get out of the city, but I just don't often have time."

Tris nodded. "Yeah, something like this in Manhattan is probably a little impractical."

"If you ever get above 20 miles an hour on Park Avenue, then there's something seriously wrong."

"I'm always amused when I see movies and TV shows where people are in cities like New York, or even Chicago, and are just zipping along with no traffic," she laughed.

Chuckling, Tobias pulled the car up to the valet and flipped the keys to the young man, whose eyes were gleaming with the idea of driving the car. "I think I made his night," he murmured to Tris as they entered the restaurant. The hostess gave them a wide smile when Tobias told her his name and soon, they were escorted a quiet booth.

Tobias glanced at Tris over the menu. "Do you trust me on the wine selection?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Okay, sure."

When the waiter came to the table, they ordered, and Tobias also ordered a bottle of Sangiovese. "I think you'll like this one," he said as the waiter left. "Have you had it?"

"No, I'm partial to French wines," Tris shrugged.

"Then you'll love this."

The sommelier brought the wine, followed mere moments later by the caprese salad. Pouring a small amount of the deeply purple wine into the glass, the sommelier offered it to Tobias, who shook his head. "Let the lady decide," he smiled.

Tris accepted the glass, sniffed and took a sip. "Oh, that's lovely." The sommelier poured wine into both glasses and discreetly disappeared. Tris regarded Tobias over the rim of her glass. "You know wines, whiskey, music. What don't you know?" she teased.

"Hey, you forgot food. I take great pride in my food knowledge," he teased back, spearing a piece of tomato with a bit of the house-made burrata. "I'm a Renaissance Man."

"I reserve judgment on the food. I haven't had the parm yet."

Tobias gave a laugh. "I admit, I haven't had the Chicken Parm, so you'll have to let me know."

Enjoying the creamy burrata, Tris asked, "So your friend built the cabin, right? How did you get involved?"

"Paul was just getting started as an architect in Toronto and had this vision to have a small, cozy cabin here. His family had been coming here every year to ski and he wanted something up here too, but everything he found was usually way too big. Paul's an only child and his family is really small. So, he decided to build it himself, but he spent way more to buy the land than he wanted and didn't quite have enough left over to really build it the way he wanted. So, I offered to invest, and he gave me half. It works out really well for us. He uses it more than I do since he's closer, but I still get up here a few times a year. He even featured the cabin in his portfolio when he left his firm to go out on his own."

"It's perfect for two couples," Tris observed. She was silent for a moment, sipping her wine before she plunged ahead. "I've had a really great time, this week," she said quietly.

"So have I," he responded then hesitated, wondering if she was thinking along the same lines as he. "I hope this won't be the last we see of each other."

This time, Tris took a gulp rather than a sip. She knew, deep down, that this week had been more than she'd expected, but she also remembered the stern conversation she'd just had with herself in the bathroom and told herself to keep it casual. "Considering how close our families are, I doubt it will be."

"That's not what I meant—" he responded but broke off as the food arrived. He remained silent as they began to eat but found himself grinning when Tris' eyes widened after she took a bite of her Chicken Parmesan. "Well?"

"Amazing," she answered after swallowing. Hoping he wouldn't bring up the future again, she smiled. "You were right. Again. Dammit."

Tobias tamped down on his disappointment as he realized Tris wanted to avoid talking about this week. "Told you," he said, his voice deliberately light. They ate in silence again for a moment and Tobias decided that maybe it wasn't a bad idea that he let the topic drop. He wasn't sure himself what he wanted. He'd assumed that they would spend the week in bed and after that, they'd go their separate ways. But over the course of the week, he discovered he really liked Tris as more than just a favorite bed partner. She was fun, interesting, and intelligent—everything Uriah said she was.

They kept up light conversation for the rest of dinner, neither of them broaching the topic most on their minds…what would happen next.

xXx

"Mm," Tris leaned back into the soft, leather seat of the Audi, her eyes closed in bliss. "That was amazing."

Tobias chuckled a little as he drove along the snowy road. "Yeah, it was. I'm glad you let me talk you into the panna cotta."

"I'm normally a chocolate girl, but that was perfect." Opening her eyes, she looked over at him. The play of shadows and light across Tobias' face highlighted his features—the strong jaw, the straight nose, the high cheekbones. In the dim light, his eyes looked nearly black instead of that dark, startling blue. He'd let his beard grow since they'd been in Canada and once again, Tris marveled at how she could generally dislike facial hair—except on him. Almost everything about him was an exception to her rules. Could she just walk away from a man like that? One who had become not only a lover, but also a friend?

Suddenly needing contact with him, Tris reached out and put her hand on his thigh. Tobias glanced down at her hand then over at her, amusement on his face. "You planning on doing something with that hand?"

Tris let her hand slide upwards a little, enjoying the clench of his muscles beneath her hand. "Hmm, maybe. Have any suggestions?" She slid her hand up just a tiny bit more.

Tobias let out a wobbly chuckle as his foot pressed on the accelerator. "Yeah, but you might not want to go any higher unless you want to wind up driving down the mountain the hard way."

"Mm, _hard_," she purred, wiggling her fingers on his thigh.

"Jesus, Tris…" he groaned and she laughed heartily.

"Okay, okay," she moved her hand and he frowned at the loss. Instead, Tris let her hands rest in her lap for a moment before sliding her skirt up just a bit as she crossed her legs. "Is that better?" she asked innocently.

Tobias glanced over, hungrily eyeing the expanse of leg showing between the dark red of her skirt and the black leather boot. "Are you trying to wreck us?"

With a throaty laugh, she uncrossed then re-crossed her legs towards him. "Maybe I'm just giving you a little something to look forward to when we get back to the cabin."

"We still have a while to get there," he pointed out, even as he increased the car's speed.

Tris shifted in her seat, inching a bit closer to him, letting her dress slide up to dangerous levels. She grinned at how often his eyes darted over to her, dividing them between her legs and the road. Deciding to push the envelope a little more, Tris unbuttoned her coat and wiggled out of it. "This car is so comfortable. It's actually getting a little…hot, don't you think?"

He groaned to her amusement, "You're fucking killing me."

They weren't far from the cabin, so Tris risked trailing her fingers lightly over his thigh again. "You can get us back quickly, can't you?"

He gave her another glance and then firmly fixed his eyes on the road. It hadn't snowed in days and the roads were perfectly clear and dry. Tobias knew the route to the cabin pretty well, so he decided the hell with it and floored the accelerator. Next to him, Tris let out a low chuckle and leaned over to whisper in his ear.

"Hurry."

Tobias was gripping the steering wheel so tightly, he was sure he'd leave permanent dents in the leather. "I go any faster," he growled, "and I'm gonna wreck the car."

"Well, we wouldn't want that. It'll interfere with my plans for you," she cooed, her tongue coming out to lightly lick his earlobe. Tobias let out a sound that was not quite human and whipped the car around the curve onto the road winding up the mountain towards the cabin. Thanks to the speed of his maneuver, Tris slid a little away from him and let out a delighted laugh. She didn't think she'd ever gotten under a man's skin so completely before and it gave her a heady sense of power.

Leaning down, Tris pulled off one boot then the other. Tobias' eyes widened in the dark. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Just getting comfortable." Tris stretched out her legs, enjoying the tightening of his jaw, and decided to take things just a bit further. She unbuckled her seat belt, her eyes on him. Sliding her hands up her legs, she pushed her skirt up until she could reach the top of her pantyhose. Her lips curved when she heard Tobias make a choked sound and she began working the nylon down her legs.

"Mother of God," he gasped as Tris allowed the silky hose to drop slowly from her hands.

"Ah, that's better." Tris sighed as she crossed her now bare legs.

Tobias fumbled at the sun visor, groping for the garage door opener. Tris hadn't realized they were so close but when the car turned into the driveway, a spurt of excitement raced through her. Tobias punched the button repeatedly until they finally got close enough for the door to open. When it did, Tobias floored the accelerator, racing up the driveway then slamming on the brakes so that the car came to a screeching halt in the garage. He punched the button on the garage door opener again, dropping it on the console as the door smoothly began its descent and yanked off his seat belt. Before Tris could say a word, Tobias grabbed her and hauled her across the console, his lips descending on hers.

He didn't kiss her as much as devour her. The grip he had around her waist was nearly crushing as he kissed her fiercely. His lips trailed down her throat as he growled, "You're lucky I didn't fucking kill us."

Tris groaned, doing her best to reach inside his coat to pull up his sweater. "I had every confidence in your skills." She gasped briefly as he sucked the delicate skin of her shoulder, but continued to trail her hands down his stomach to frantically begin unbuckling his belt and unfastening his pants.

"Oh, baby, I've got skills you haven't even dreamed of," he said, his voice so low and gravelly Tris barely recognized it. Pulling her against him, his lips descended once again on hers and Tris sank into him, shifting so that she sat across his lap, her legs dangling over the center console. Suddenly, Tris felt herself falling forward and she gave a small, startled yelp. Tobias chuckled against her lips as he continued to lean the seat back as far as it would go. He settled her firmly against him, his mouth playing with hers, his hand cupping the back of her neck. They kissed, their lips parting and coming back together, as though drawn together by an invisible force. Tris trailed her hands as far down his chest as she could, doing her best to reach under his sweater, desperate to touch his skin. She groaned as she felt his strong hands trail up her thighs and push her skirt even further upward. Tobias allowed his lips to glide down, sucking the delicate skin of her neck into his mouth as his hand urged her legs apart and slipped beneath the lace of her underwear.

Tris gasped, throwing her head back as Tobias' lips nibbled her neck and his fingers played her body as easily as he would an instrument. With her hands suddenly paused on the bare skin of his waist, her hips began moving in counterpoint to his questing fingers. It was as if her body was tuned to his touch—eager for it, even—and before she was ready, pinpricks of electricity began tingling along her nerve endings. With her eyes closed, Tris let loose a long moan.

Tobias watched her, loving the look on her face as she drowned in her pleasure. His own nerves were stretched taut—his entire body straining with the desire to lay her flat and bury himself deeply inside her. Tris opened her eyes and gave him a slow smile. Lust unfurled deep in his stomach as she shifted so that she was perched on her knees on the passenger seat. Deliberately moving slowly, Tris reached down and finished unbuttoning his pants then slowly slid down the zipper. Tobias held his breath as she gave him another slow smile and lowered her head to his lap.

"Fuck…" Tobias moaned as Tris' warm lips wrapped around him. One hand wrapped around the door handle in a death grip and his other tangled around the long, blonde locks in his lap. He gulped air like he was running a race and knew he wasn't going to be able to hold out, so he gently pushed her head away. "We need to get inside." At her nod, he released her abruptly and pushed open the car door. Tucking himself into his pants, he hurried around to the other side of the car, yanking open the door and held out his hand to her. Tris looked up at him, his dark blue eyes burning with such intense desire it made her stomach jump. She placed her hand in his and allowed him to pull her out of the car.

Her bare feet hit the freezing floor and she gave a little yelp, having forgotten that she'd kicked off her shoes earlier. Tobias gave a low chuckle and pulled her into his arms, lifting her feet off the floor. "Better?" he teased, closing the car door with a slight kick of his foot. In response, Tris wound her legs around his waist and lowered her head until her lips were just brushing his.

"Much," she murmured as she rubbed her lips against his. Tobias stumbled towards the door, releasing one hand from under her bottom only long enough to push open the inside door to the cabin. He leaned her against the wall opposite the door, kissing her fiercely but she wiggled against him so he released her. The moment her feet were on the floor, she began pushing off his coat as he hauled up the skirt of her dress. Tris' hands immediately went to his pants, squeezing him tightly. Tobias hauled her into his arms again and bracing her against the wall, plunged inside her.

Tris bumped her head against the wall as she threw it back, biting down on her lip as pleasure arrowed through her. Tobias leaned his head forward, tugging her bottom lip into his mouth as he began to move rapidly. Tris squeezed him tightly, her legs wrapped around him as they moved together frantically. It was clear to both of them that neither one would last long for this first round, so they pushed each other farther and faster until they both gasped and just rode the wave.

Tobias gently lowered her to the floor, his heart racing, pressing his forehead to hers while they caught their breath. After a moment, Tris looked up at him. "Tell me we're not done," she said lowly and smiled when she felt Tobias stir against her.

"Not even close."

"Good," she grabbed his hand and they ran, as best they could given their disheveled clothes, into the bedroom. They undressed hurriedly, racing each other then breaking into laughter as Tris struggled with her bra hook while Tobias nearly tripped as he tried to pull off his socks with his feet. Clothes flew around the room as they stripped, Tris feeling light and free in a way she rarely was. She didn't think she'd ever had this much fun with a man before. Finally naked, Tris hopped on the bed, pulling Tobias over her. Amusement turned into white-hot lust when Tobias bent his head to take her breast deeply in his mouth. Tris arched her chest up, pushing herself further into his mouth as she tangled her fingers through his wavy, dark hair. She allowed herself to bask in the sensual sensation of Tobias' mouth pulling heavily at her nipple. After paying equal attention to the other breast, Tobias began to work his way down her chest when Tris stopped him. Raising his head, he looked at her in askance and Tris smiled.

"No, I want you now."

Tobias grinned and slowly covered her body with his. He caught her gaze and held it, staring deeply in her eyes. Tris felt her breathing increase as she read the fierce desire in his eyes…along with something more. Before she could worry too much about the unknown emotion she sensed, Tobias suddenly reached down, hitched one of her knees over his arm and slid silkily inside her. Her breath caught and she was willing to admit to herself that the sensation of Tobias, hard and hot inside her, was quite possibly the best thing she'd ever felt.

The edge had been taken off with their hot encounter against the hallway wall, so Tobias was free to take his time with her—and take his time he did. He drew out his strokes, withdrawing so slowly Tris thought she'd lose her mind. So she began moving with him, hoping to encourage him to a faster pace, but he stubbornly refused, sliding in and out as if he had all the time in the world. She moaned, afraid she would spontaneously combust from the heat, and leaned forward to bury her face in his neck. This time it was Tobias who groaned as Tris suckled on the skin of his neck. Taking advantage of his distraction, she pushed him, encouraging him to flip over.

She gave him a smug smile as she settled on top of him, straddling him. "My turn," she teased, her voice a husky imitation of itself. Tobias' laugh turned into a groan as Tris tightened her muscles around him and undulated her hips against his. She started out slowly, but gradually built up speed as her own desire took firm control. She leaned over him, her hands braced on his chest, shuddering as he ground against her. Tobias grasped her hips, pushing them impossibly closer, determined to make her feel every inch of him. He loved how tightly she held him, loved how she moved against him, loved the tiny sighs and gasps that escaped her lips involuntarily. Tobias knew, without a doubt, he'd never felt like this with any woman before.

Driven by a desire to be as close to her as he could, Tobias suddenly sat up, pulling Tris against his chest. She rearranged her legs around him and he cupped her behind in his large hands. The change in position ground him against her at just the right angle and Tris' tiny gasps quickly increased in volume. He could tell she was close; she just needed a little more to push her over the edge. Kissing her deeply, he squeezed her behind tightly and sharply angled his hips inside her. Tris gasped, clutching his shoulders as her body locked in a paroxysm of ecstasy. The feel of her strong muscles milking him tightly pulled Tobias over the edge too and he tumbled into nirvana with her.

They leaned against each other, panting—each trying desperately to gain control of the emotions raging through them. Tobias hugged her tightly to him and after several long moments, tumbled them onto their sides, pulling her to lie across his chest. Tris settled in, listening to the beating of his heart as it thumped in time with hers. He stroked her hair and was positive he heard her give a contented purr. He smiled sleepily, feeling more content than he'd ever felt before.

xXx

Morning came much earlier than Tobias wanted. He'd managed to push the inevitable away temporarily as he squeezed out a few more stolen moments with Tris, making love to her again sleepily in the early morning light. All too soon, however, the sun was high in the sky and it was time for Tris to pack up. He watched, leaning against the doorjamb as she folded the laundry she'd done the day before into her suitcase.

"When is the car coming?" he asked.

Tris glanced at the clock, "In about fifteen minutes."

"How long will you be in Toronto?"

"Another few days," she said, placing the last of her tops into the suitcase. "Susan set up a group fitting for the bridesmaids tomorrow and my mom is flying in this afternoon."

He forced a smile, pushing down the feeling of disappointment that had been with him since he'd awakened. "I'm sure you're going to love that."

Tris laughed a little. "This wedding is becoming bigger than the invasion of a small country, but we'll survive." She zipped up her bag and finally turned to face him. They stood, staring at each other, each unsure what to say for the first time all week. "I had fun this week," she said quietly.

"So did I." Tobias felt slightly sick with uncertainty. He didn't want to let her go. When he'd impulsively invited her to spend a week with him, Tobias had assumed they'd spend most of that time naked and when it was over, they'd walk away as friends, happy to see each other whenever their families got together. Now, he could see how wrong he was. But he had no idea how she felt. The sex between them was as spectacular now as it had been that insane Thanksgiving night and showed no signs of fading. Tobias wanted more of it, more of her, but Tris hadn't signaled her interest in anything more than the casual relationship they'd somehow fallen into. He pushed the awkward feeling aside and decided to take a chance. "I don't want this to be the end," he said gruffly.

Tris looked down at her shoes for a moment and Tobias felt his heart plunge. When she raised her head, she whispered, "Neither do I."

Relief rushed through him. "Okay. Good."

"You're heading back to London tomorrow, aren't you?" At his nod, she shrugged. "I guess we'll have to figure out when we can try to get together again."

"We'll figure out something. In the meantime, there's always phone sex," he joked, feeling much more at ease now that he knew she didn't want this morning to have been the last time they made love either.

She laughed, as he'd intended. "Phone sex?" she asked skeptically.

Tobias stepped forward, stopping right in front of her. "You think I can't make you come with my voice?" he asked, his voice becoming a deep, husky rumble that danced along her nerve endings.

She shook her head. "No, I think you might be able to. But the question is, can I make you come first?"

With a growl, he pulled her to him and began kissing her firmly. He wondered if they had enough time to continue and nearly groaned out loud when her phone chimed, indicating her car had arrived.

Tris took a step back and pushed back her hair. "To be continued," she said.

"Count on it." He reached over and picked up her suitcase, then on impulse held his hand out to her. Tris hesitated for a moment—she wasn't much on handholding—but then twined her fingers with his. They walked to the front door and Tobias opened it, taking her suitcase out to the car while Tris bundled herself in her coat. He met her at the doorway. "Be safe, Tris," he whispered, bending to kiss her one last time.

"Have a good flight," she returned and walked, a little unsteadily, to the back of the car. Once she was inside, she turned to look back at him. He was standing in the entryway to the cabin, his dark hair tousled and his hands shoved deeply into the pockets of his jeans. They held eye contact until the car pulled away and rounded the corner, breaking their connection.

Turning to enter the house, Tobias wondered…for how long.


End file.
